WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two U.S. Department of Agriculture research offices will not be relocating to North Carolina, the USDA announced Thursday.

• The Research Triangle was one of three finalists as the USDA looked to move both the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) outside of the Washington, D.C. region.
• The USDA ultimately selected the Kansas City region, beating out both the Research Triangle and Indiana, which was also on the shortlist.
• The decision to go elsewhere is a setback for North Carolina congressional lawmakers, who have pushed for USDA to pick the Tar Heel state.

The Research Triangle was one of three finalists as the USDA looked to move both the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) outside of the Washington, D.C. region.

The USDA ultimately selected Kansas City, beating out both the Research Triangle and the state of Indiana, which was also on the shortlist.

The decision to go elsewhere is a setback for several North Carolina congressional lawmakers, who have pushed for USDA to pick the Tar Heel state. In a recent letter to U.S. Agriculture Sec. Sonny Perdue, they called agriculture a “cornerstone” of the North Carolina economy and outlined different potential advantages of setting up shop in the Research Triangle.

Rep. Patrick McHenry described not picking North Carolina as a “missed opportunity for the USDA,” saying they will miss out on the “brain power” available in the Triangle and across the state. At the same time, McHenry said he does not believe USDA’s decision will have a negative impact on the North Carolina economy.

Perdue says moving the research offices outside of the nation’s capital saves money and puts them closer to stakeholders and the farmers themselves.

In announcing the Kansas City selection, Perdue said there is already "a significant presence of USDA and federal government employees in the region, including the Kansas City ‘Ag Bank’ Federal Reserve."

“This agriculture talent pool, in addition to multiple land-grant and research universities within driving distance, provides access to a stable labor force for the future,” Perdue continued.

RELATED: Could USDA Research Offices End Up in NC? Decision Expected Soon

Overall, the relocation plan is not without criticism -- including from some researchers and farmers. They recently voiced their concerns to lawmakers, saying if NIFA and ERS move out of D.C., it will cut the offices off from both policymakers and other research institutions.

Employees in both offices have pushed back against the planned relocation. In recent weeks, workers at both offices voted to unionize, according to the Washington Post.

Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are also trying to intervene. Already, the Democrat-led House Appropriations Committee has advanced a funding bill that includes languaged aimed at blocking the relocation of both offices.